GIRLS BASKETBALL: Greencastle-Antrim knocks off Boiling Springs

GREENCASTLE — This is the type of signature victory that can change the complexion of a season.

Looking to make a playoff push, the Greencastle-Antrim girls basketball team put together one of its most complete games thus far Tuesday night, defeating a solid Boiling Springs squad 47-41 in Mid-Penn Colonial Division action.

Paced by the inside presence of Katie Gelsinger, the Blue Devils (7-9, 5-4 MPC-Colonial) led by as many as 14 in the second quarter before having to stave off a resilient charge by the Bubblers (12-5, 7-2 MPC-Colonial) in the fourth, ultimately resulting in the six-point victory.

"This is what this team is capable of," G-A head coach Mike Rhine said. "I'm so proud of these girls and they're really starting to get it. That's a very good team we just beat and it's a game that we had to have."

Gelsinger was a force throughout, accounting for the Blue Devils' first 12 points of the night on her way to finishing with a game-high 19.

With the Bubblers struggling against G-A's swarming defensive scheme, a 13-2 Blue Devil run abruptly pushed the advantage to 10 midway through the second quarter before a jumper from Meghan Hirneisen and a 3-pointer by Chloe Hoover granted G-A its largest lead at 26-12.

Neither side was particularly productive in the third, with the Blue Devils maintaining a nine-point margin entering the decisive stanza.

From here, the momentum quickly began to shift, with an immediate 12-0 run by the Bubblers putting the visitors ahead for the first time since the opening quarter.

Unfazed, a pair of Hannah Crist jumpers regained the lead for G-A with 2:10 remaining before Ashlynn Schaeffer knocked down two free throws at 1:36, extending the advantage to 44-41.

Following a missed 3 by the Bubblers on their ensuing possession, Crist was fouled with 21.2 seconds left, with the freshman casually draining both attempts to essentially seal the win.

"All our girls really stepped up tonight," Rhine explained. "We won the game without having to get 20-plus points from Chloe (Hoover). Katie was big for us all night, Hannah hit her shots at the end and we sealed it from the free throw line. It's just a great feeling to play a complete game."

Hoover and Crist both finished with nine points in the win followed by eight from Hirneisen.

Mikayla Snyder matched Gelsinger's game-high point total of 19 to pace the Bubblers.

Prior to Tuesday's victory, G-A was ranked 21st in the District 3-AAA Power Ratings, with the top 18 teams qualifying for the postseason. Considering Boiling Springs was ranked 11th, Tuesday's win should certainly help the Blue Devils' cause.